NDSU spring commencement ceremonies are scheduled for May 11 and 12 at the Fargodome. The graduate/professional ceremony will be held Friday at 4 p.m. The undergraduate ceremony is set for Saturday at 10 a.m.

As of April 27, a total of 936 students indicated they intend to participate in the undergraduate ceremony, said Associate Registrar Rhonda Kitch. Nearly 300 students said they intend to participate in the graduate/professional ceremony. A total of 1,594 undergraduates and 314 graduate students are eligible to participate.

The events are open to the public. Parking is free at the Fargodome. Doors open one hour before the start of each ceremony, and guests may enter through any general entrance. All seating is on a first-come, first-served basis and restricted to the concourse level. Attendees are encouraged to allow extra travel time due to road construction that may affect traffic near the Fargodome.

Commencement speakers

Alisha Nord, an agricultural communication major, is the undergraduate commencement speaker. The Wolverton, Minn., native has participated in the Saddle and Sirloin Club, the National Agri-Marketing Association, the National Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow and the Collegiate Cattlewomen's Association. Nord also represented the NDSU Ag Ambassador program at the Agriculture Future of America's Leaders Conference in Kansas City, Mo.

The graduate/professional commencement speaker is Sarah Prigge, who is receiving a Doctor of Musical Arts in piano performance. The Fargo native is the director of the NDSU Music Academy, a not-for-profit organization that provides music lessons to people 4 years and older. Prigge is a member of the Sigma Alpha Iota International Music Fraternity for Women and the Music Teachers National Association at the national, state and local levels.

Commencement soloists

Elliott Schwab, a native of West Fargo, is the student soloist for the undergraduate ceremony. He will graduate with a bachelor's degree in music with a minor in psychology. Schwab's student activities include the NDSU Concert Choir, NDSU Madrigal Singers, NDSU Men's Ensemble, NDSU Opera Theatre and Bison Arts Singers.

The soloist for the graduate/professional commencement is Eric Saari, who is receiving a Doctor of Musical Arts in choral conducting. A native of Grand Forks, N.D., Saari is the director of the Sanctuary Choir at Hope Lutheran Church's north Fargo cam­pus and is a member of the American Choral Directors Association and the College Music Society.

Posthumous degree

A posthumous degree will be awarded at the graduate/professional ceremony. Daniel Pullen's family will accept a Doctor of Education on his behalf. Pullen died unexpectedly due to natural causes on Feb. 13. The Franklin, Minn., native was finishing his doctoral dissertation and was scheduled to receive his degree on Friday. Pullen was active in the community and served as director of the North Dakota Educational Technology Council since 2001.